€2 commemorative coins 2005

Vatican City

Feature: 20th World Youth Day held in Cologne in August 2005

Description: Depicted in the centre of the coin is the Cathedral of Cologne with a comet passing by above. The words 'XX GIORNATA MONDIALE DELLA GIOVENTÙ' are inscribed along the upper edge of the central part, separated by the tail of the comet and two of the cathedral's spires, one of which extends into the coin's outer ring. Twelve stars are depicted in a semicircle along the upper part of the outer ring, separated at the top by the year of issue (2005) and the mintmark 'R'. Below the central image of the cathedral, the words 'CITTÀ DEL VATICANO' form a semicircle in the outer ring.

Issuing volume: 100,000 coinsIssuing date: December 2005

Italy

Feature: 1st anniversary of the signing of the European Constitution

Description: The centre of the coin features Europa and the bull, with Europa holding a pen and the text of the European Constitution. To the upper left of the image is the mintmark 'R'. The initials of engraver Maria Carmela Colaneri, 'MCC', appear on the lower left edge of the coin's central part. The year of mintage is shown in the top right of the image above the head of the bull. Positioned just off-centre at the bottom of the image is the monogram of the Italian Republic, 'RI'. The words 'COSTITUZIONE EUROPEA' form a semicircle along the outer ring of the coin beneath the central image, while twelve stars are depicted on the remainder of the outer ring.

Issuing volume: 18 million coinsIssuing date: October 2005

Finland

Feature: 60th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations and 50th anniversary of Finland's membership therein

Description: Depicted in the centre of the coin are parts of a jigsaw puzzle showing a dove of peace. Below the image of the dove, inscribed along the edge of the bottom half of the central part of the coin, the inscription 'FINLAND — UN' appears on the left and the year of issue on the right. Above the last figure of the year of issue, set close to the edge of a piece of the jigsaw puzzle, is the letter 'K', the engraver's initial. The mintmark 'M' is inscribed immediately below the image of the dove of peace. The outer ring features the 12 stars of the European Union.

Issuing volume: 2 million coinsIssuing date: October 2005

San Marino

Feature: World Year of Physics 2005

Description: The centre of the coin features a free interpretation of the allegorical painting of Galileo Galilei that is known as 'la fisica antica' or the study of the planets. The year of issue appears beneath a globe standing on a desk. To the left of the image is the mintmark 'R', and the engraver's initials 'LDS' appear on the right. The words 'SAN MARINO' form a semicircle above the image, while the words 'ANNO MONDIALE DELLA FISICA' run along the lower edge of the inner part below. The outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union, separated by the outer edges of the image of a stylised atom inscribed in the background of the entire coin.

Issuing volume: 130,000 coinsIssuing date: October 2005

Austria

Feature: 50th anniversary of the Austrian State Treaty

Description: The centre of the coin shows a reproduction of the signatures and seals in the Austrian State Treaty, which was signed by the foreign ministers and ambassadors of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and France, and by Leopold Figl, Foreign Minister of Austria, in May 1955. The inscription '50 JAHRE STAATSVERTRAG' appears above the seals and the year of issue, 2005, below them. The vertical stripes in the background represent Austria's national colours (red-white-red). The outer ring of the coin features the 12 stars of the EU.

Issuing volume: max. 7 million coinsIssuing date: 11 May 2005

Spain

Feature: 4th centenary of the first edition of Miguel de Cervantes' 'The ingenious gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'

Description: The centre of the coin features an image of Don Quixote holding a lance, with windmills in the background. To the left, impressed into the surface of the coin, is the word 'ESPAÑA', under which the mintmark 'M' appears. The 12 stars of the European Union are shown in the outer ring of the coin, with four of them impressed into the surface. The year of issue is indicated at the bottom.

Issuing volume: 8 million coinsIssuing date: April 2005

Belgium

Feature: Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union

Description: The effigies of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and King Albert II of Belgium are depicted in profile (from left to right) in the centre of the coin, above the year of issue, 2005. The engraver's initials, 'LL', appear to the lower right. The two effigies and the date are surrounded by the outer ring bearing the 12 stars of the EU and the monograms of Grand Duke Henri on the left and of King Albert II on the right. The mintmarks appear between two stars near the bottom of the coin.

Issuing volume: max. 6 million coinsIssuing date: March/April 2005

Luxembourg

Feature: 50th birthday of Grand Duke Henri, 5th anniversary of his accession to the throne and 100th anniversary of the death of Grand Duke Adolphe

Description: Depicted in the centre of the coin is the effigy of Grand Duke Henri, looking to the right and superimposed on the effigy of Grand Duke Adolphe. Above the effigies appears the legend 'GRANDS-DUCS DE LUXEMBOURG'. The names 'HENRI', set above '*1955', and 'ADOLPHE', set above '†1905', are inscribed below the respective effigies. On the outer ring of the coin, the 12 stars of the EU surrounding the design are placed between the letters of the word 'LËTZEBUERG' and the year of issue, 2005, with the latter centred below the effigies and flanked by the letter 'S' on the left and the logo of the mint on the right.